Harney Defends “very decent” €130,000 pension

Former Irish politician Mary Harney has defended her €130,000 a year pension as “very decent”, stating that she feels she is worth this amount. The former Tainiste defended her large pension by claiming that she deserved it, as she had already taken “substantial cuts”, when the pensions of TDs and public servants were cut last year.

Mary Harney, who was formerly Minister for Health, is set to pick up a pension worth €129, 805 for the rest of her life and feels she deserves this as she had dedicated her life, a career spanning 34 years, in politics. In an intervew with online tv station Kildare TV she said “many people have dedicated their life to politics. In my case, I spent 34 years in politics. I don’t have business interests. I don’t have another career.

“Many people can move easily from politics into another career or from one career to another. Many politicians have given their whole life to public service.”

This revelation about Ms Harney’s pension followed Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s announcement that he would not be cutting the, already huge, pensions of former politicians and government ministers. However, it was revealed, that he is planing to cut public service workers by 23, 500, increase VAT to 23% and impose a 5% cut on maintenance grants paid out to university students. These revelations came last night after the Irish Budget plan was leaked to the German parliament, in a document provided to them.